A gradual plan to reopen AHS’ sporting facilities was put into action after more than seven months of lockdown.  The city approved sports roughly based on when their seasons were and the amount of contact involved, resulting in some sports being let back earlier than others. But after a general safety protocol agreement was made between the City of Arcadia and Arcadia Unified School District on Nov. 2, all sports were allowed to use AHS’ facilities.

In phase one of reopening, sports teams using AHS’ facilities were limited to conditioning and athletes were mandated to wear masks. In addition to these preventative measures, routine temperature checks were to be carried out for all players before they entered campus. The plan continued smoothly up until the early weeks of December.

From Dec. 15 to 17, California reported 10,000 new cases, forcing the district and city to put a halt to all athletics and lock down sporting facilities once again. 

“Currently, the City of Arcadia has closed their fields for outside club use until COVID numbers go down and the latest stay at home order is lifted. All AHS athletics are currently off as well,” said AHS’ Baseball Coach Nicholas Lemas in an email blast to his student athletes. 

The news of the facilities being closed down in Arcadia and all over Los Angeles County came as a great disappointment to many. Especially, since things were finally looking hopeful for the first time in a long time.

“There are some kids who worked their whole lives for this moment, and it’s being taken away,” said Chaminade High School’s Athletic Director, Todd Borowski, in an article for the Los Angeles Times.

“It’s a no-win situation,” Borowski added, expressing his frustration with the unpredictability of COVID-19 while also voicing the frustration of the thousands of athletes in the L.A. County region.

But, for AHS in particular, there’s hope. 

According to the tier system, a system in which COVID-19’s spread is classified by colors, L.A. County is currently in the purple tier of COVID danger; in other words, there are eight or more new cases per every 100,000 people in the population.

The moment that danger rating of purple goes back down to red, which is when there are 4 to 7 new cases per 100,000 people in the population, AHS’ athletic facilities will open once more to student athletes. 

The only problem is the uncertainty behind when this tier purple danger will drop to red. It could be tomorrow, next month, or even next year.

With the tiers fluctuating like they are, tensions are high and the anticipation for a CIF competition schedule is only growing.

“They’re putting the CIF in a corner. There’s going to be a time where we need a decision whether we’re going to play or cancel,” Borowski said.

So for now, opening AHS’ athletic facilities up again is a long shot. Because of the growing number of COVID cases and the dangers associated with allowing student athletes back on the field, all athletes can do is hope that they’ll be allowed to play the sports they love once more before the season ends.

Photo courtesy of LPADESIGNSTUDIOS.COM